In this episode, Carol and Erin dive into all things research sample sizes with Lauren Stern. No matter your experience with user research, you'll need to recruit folks, making this an evergreen topic. Lauren has coached both new-to-research and junior UXRs on this critical topic and she shares some of her best advice.
Lauren shares importance considerations and nuances around different types of studies and even analysis approaches. She also unpacks her approach for international samples, the impact of drop-off rates, and participant compensation strategies.
Going beyond sample sizes, we conclude with a discussion of how to better engage with stakeholders when advocating sample sizes, making these conversations about "how many to recruit" more informed. She also shares resources to use when making the case to stakeholders.
Episode Highlights
About Our Guest
Lauren Stern is a mixed-methods research leader focused on creating the most human-centered technology possible. Over the last ten years her work has explored how perception and social cognition shape our experiences with automated systems from military zones to living rooms. Whether exploring individual experiences in the field or looking at large-scale data collections, she loves the puzzle of study design and coaching new researchers through the process.
Resources on Sample Sizes
#127 - The Power of Failure with Kevin Kelly, Publisher and Founding Editor of Wired
#126 - AI Anxiety: The Dangers (and Opportunities) of AI in Research with Mike Adams of Grain
#125 - What is UX Business Coaching? with Sylvana Rochet of Elan Vital Coaching
#124 - Defining a Research Strategy with Devin Harold of Capital One
#123 - The Power of Atomic Research with Daniel Pidcock of Glean.ly
#122- Exploring UX Research Career Options with Marieke McCloskey of LinkedIn
#121 - The UX files: Top Moments from YouX 2023
#120- Building a Healthy Research Culture with Mike Oren of Klaviyo
#119 - It’s Not Research, It’s You! with Holly Hester-Reilly of H2R Product Science
#118- The Product Launch Playbook with Derek Osgood
#117 - Understanding Growth Research with Carlos Tellez of Nubank
#116 - Emerging Trends in UX and CX with Alfonso de la Nuez and Dana Bishop of UserZoom
#115 - Optimizing In-Product Research with Ryan Glasgow of Sprig
#114 - What Does a UX Research Chief of Staff Do?
#113 - Tacos and Tidepods: A Very Awkward Goodbye with Roberta Dombrowski of User Interviews
#112 - Finding Your Best Customers with Andrew Michael, CEO at Avrio
#111 - The 2022 UX Research Tools Map with Roberta Dombrowski
#110 - Experience Design Research in Healthcare with Tiffany Mura and Erica Devine
#109 - The Challenges of Hybrid Work with Eduardo Gomez Ruiz of Miro
#108- Perfecting the UX of UX testing with Nicholas Aramouni of Userlytics
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